Stationery feeding means



A ril 30, 1957 v. w. GARWOOD 2,790,529

STATIONERY FEEDING MEANS Filed April 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tr 47 J 48 49 /a /4' 25 26 E April 30, 1957 v. w. GARWOOD 2,790,529 STATIONERY FEEDING-MEANS Filed April 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

April 30, 1957 v. w. GARWOOD 2,790,529

STATIONERY FEEDING MEANS Filed April 22, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet s FlG.4

April 30, 1957 v. w. GARWOOD STATIONERY FEEDING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 22, 1953 Patented Apr. 30, 1957 STATIONERY FEEDING MEANS Victor William Garwood, Wallington, England, assignor, by mesnc assignments, to Lamson Paragon L m ted, London, England, a corporation of Great Britain Application April 22, 1953, Serial No. 350,423

18 Claims. (Cl. 197-134) The present invention relates to tabulating, typewriting and like writing or recording machines adapted to use continuous stationery assemblies comprising superposed record sheets or webs adapted to be fed around a platen roller or the like and interleaved with carbon transfer sheets or webs.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 302,349, filed August 2, 1952, now abandoned and assigned to the assignee of this application.

It has been the practice heretofore to provide continuous stationery in pack form comprising two or more superposed record sheets between which carbon sheets are secured for transferring details of data typed or imprinted on the top sheet to the underlying record sheets. The transfer and record sheets, being secured to each other, have traveled around the platen as a unit, being separated subsequently. Considerable waste results from the use of this type of pack in that the transfer sheet is usable only a single time, although there may be large areas of unused carboned surface. It has been impractical to salvage the carbon sheets for reassembly with other superposed record sheets because of the time and labor involved in such an operation.

If loose transfer sheets or webs are interleaved between the record sheets and are anchored so as to be usable for succeeding portions of the record sheets, considerable saving in carbon sheets is obtained. However, such carbon sheets have a relatively limited life in that the typing on successive form lengths of the record sheets takes place on the same area of the carbon sheets and accordingly considerable portions of the carbon sheets will remain unused. Further improvement may be secured by feeding the carbon sheets toward the printing position as the record sheets are fed through the machine. A difficulty arises, however, in that the records sheets are not always fed through the machine in uniform increments. For example, the record sheets are usually divided into form lengths and, if only a few lines need to be typed on successive forms, a substantial length of the carbon sheets will be fed through the machine after each typing operation. If only one or two lines are typed on each form, the wasted portion of the carbon sheets may be almost as great as the form length.

In accordance with the foregoing, it has been a principal object of the present invention to provide novel and improved means for utilizing all, or substantially all, of the area of carbon sheets in tabulating, typewriting or other writing or recording machines utilizirw continuous stationery feed.

A further object of the invention has been to provide novel and improved means for feeding the record and transfer sheets or Webs so that they can be fed around the platen roller without setting up any frictional drag which would be likely to retard the feed movements or cause damage to the respective sheets by being drawn tightly against the platen.

A feature of the invention has been to provide novel and improved means responsive to a line spacing or other selected operation of the machine for feedmg desired increments of the carbon sheets.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description:

In accordance with the invention, the above objects are achieved by providing apparatus for feeding continuous stationery assemblies consisting of superposed record sheets and transfer sheets interleaved therebetween through a machine having a platen and means for imprinting information on the record sheets as the same are passed around the platen. This apparatus comprises means simultaneously to impart a positive feeding movement to the record sheets on the infeed and on the outfeed sides of the platen whereby the pressure between the record sheets and the platen is made sufficiently small to permit relative feeding motion between the record sheets and the interleaved transfer sheets. Means may also be provided for feeding the transfer sheets in relatively small increments relative to the feed of the record sheets, the amount of transfer sheet feed provided by the latter means being independent of the amount of feed of the record sheets, and control means responsive to a selected periodic operation of the machine to actuate the latter feeding means thereby periodically to feed the transfer sheets in the relatively small increments desired.

The feeding means according to the present invention is adapted to ensure that the superposed webs and the interleaved carbon transfer sheets will be relatively loosely disposed in relation to one another at the platen so that the stationery or record webs can be readily drawn past the carbon transfer-sheets with little or no drag due to frictional resistance between the adjacent surfaces of the webs and transfer sheets as they pass around the platen.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in schematic form one means for effecting feed of the carbon sheets in desired increments;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of another carbon sheet feeding apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view illustrating suitable apparatus for feeding the record sheets;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 5 in an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, the reference numerallt) designates the platen of a tabulator, typewriter or other writing or recording machine adapted to type or otherwise imprint information on continuous sheets of stationery. A single sheet or web of stationery 11 and a single sheet or web of carbon paper 12 are shown in Fig. 1, although it should be understood that a plurality of superposed stationery or record sheets 11 may be provided and that a plurality of carbon sheets 12 maybe interleaved therebetween so that the information is reproduced on the several record sheets. For clarity, the record and carbon sheets have not been shown passing around the platen 10, although it should be understood that the sheets or webs will pass around the platen in a suitable manner such as that to be described hereinafter in connection with Figs. 5 and 6.

As is well known in the art, the platen it) is adapted to be rotated through a small arc at the completion of each line of printing by line spacing means including a pair of rods 13 and 14 mounted in side plates 15 and 16, the ends of the rod 13 being pivotally mounted in support members 17 and 18- suitably affixed to the machine frame. An upwardly and forwardly extending portion 19 of the side plate is connected by means of a pin and slot connection 20, or other suitable means, to a link 21 carrying a pawl 22. The pawl 22 is arranged to cooperate with a ratchet wheel 23 mounted on the shaft 24 of the platen 10.

An arm 25 is mounted beneath the rods 13 and 14 and is adapted to be continuously oscillated about a rock shaft 26 while the machine is operating. The shaft 26 is rocked by connections (not shown) to the machine mechanism in well known manner. In operation, when a line of printing has been completed, an electrical circuit is closed to energize a solenoid 27. The latter attracts toward itself a pivoted arm 28. As the arm 28 moves inwardly it engages a hook member 29 which is freely pivoted on the rod 14 and moves the hook member 29 to a position in which its hook is in the path of the oscillating arm 25. On the next downward stroke of the arm 25, the member 29 will be engaged by the arm 25 and forced downwardly to rock the assembly comprising the rods 13 and 14 and the side plates 15 and 16, thereby actuating the pawl 22 to rotate the platen 10 and effect a forward feed movement of the record sheets into position to receive the next line of printing. When it is desired to effect a greater feed of record sheets, such as a form length, other means may be employed to rotate the shaft 24 without operating the line feed mechanism. Such means might be, for example, a manually operated hand wheel on the shaft 24- or a driven gear mechanism or the like.

In the arrangement according to the present invention, the transfer or carbon sheet or sheets are adapted to be fed independently of the feed of the record sheets. As shown in Fig. 1 a roll 12' of carbon transfer material 12 is provided and adapted to be unwound and interleaved between adjacent record sheets 11. In Fig. 1 only one roll of transfer material is shown but it should be understood that any desired number of rolls may be provided according to the number of superposed record sheets in the stationery assembly. The record sheets and the interleaved carbon sheets are suitably directed around the platen 10 to provide for the desired typing. A suitable mechanism for feeding the record sheets is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The roll 12' is supported on a shaft 30 having a worm wheel 30A mounted on one end thereof and arranged to mesh with a worm 31 mounted on a shaft 32. The latter is provided with a ratchet wheel 33 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 34 pivotally mounted at one end of an arm or lever 35. The lever 35 is suitably pivotally mounted by means such as the screw or stud indicated at 36 in Fig. l. The lever 35 is provided adjacent the end thereof remote from the pawl 34 with a slot 37. A pin 38 carried by a plate 39 projects into the slot 37. The plate 39 is rockableabout a pivot 40. A lateral projection 41 of the plate 39 spaced from the pin 38 is pivotally attached to a member 42 by means of a pin 43. One end of a messenger wire 44 of a Bowden cable 45 or like device is affixed to the member 42. The opposite end of the wire 44 is detachably connected by means of a strap and pin connection 46 to one arm of a bell crank lever 47 pivoted about a pin 48. The other arm of the lever 47 is pivotally connected to a lug 49 pivotally mounted on the rod 14.

In operation, each time the line spacing means is actuated by downward travel of the member 15 under action of the arm 25, the lug 49 will cause the bell crank 47 to rotate about its pivot 48, thus exerting a pull on the wire 44. This pull will be transmitted to the plate 39 to cause the same to rotate about the pivot 40. As a result of rotation of the plate 39, the pin 38 will engage the walls of the slot 37, causing the lever 35 to rock in a counter-clockwise direction about the screw or stud 36, whereby the pawl 34 will engage the ratchet wheel 33 and rotate the shaft 32 through a small are equivalent to the distance between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 33. This rotation of the shaft 32 will effect a corresponding small rotation of the roll 12', thus unwinding a short length of the carbon paper 12. In practice, a relatively small rotation of the roll 12' will result in the formation of a small amount of slack in the carbon paper or transfer sheet 12 and on the next feed movement of the record sheets 11, the record sheet on the upper and lower sides of the sheet 12 will exert sufiicient frictional grip on the carbon sheet 12 to take up this slack. This results in a small forward feed movement of the carbon or transfer sheet to present a fresh surface in imprinting position between the record sheets.

It should be understood that the solenoid 27 will be energized for a relatively short period of time so that the member 29 will be engaged by the oscillating arm 25 only once for each energization of the solenoid 27. The member 29 and the line spacing mechanism comprising the rods 13 and 14 may suitably be spring or otherwise urged to normally maintain the respective positions shown in Fig. 1. It will be evident that when the rod 14 returns to its normal position, the motion thereof will be transferred through the wire 44 to return the lever 35 and the pawl 34 to their normal positions.

It will be evident that the carbon or transfer sheet or sheets will be fed in relatively small increments which are independent of the amount of feed of the record sheets, so that the whole area of the transfer sheets will be successively presented in imprinting position. Thus if a substantial amount, such as a form length, of the record sheets are fed, without operation of the line spacing means, there will be no corresponding feed of the carbon sheets. It is not necessary that the feed of the transfer sheets should be such as to present an entirely unused area in imprinting position. On the contrary, it has been found desirable to make the increments of transfer sheet feed sufficiently small that the new area presented will correspond to only a fraction of the depth of the type face of the imprinting unit. Accordingly, while part of the carboned area will be utilized in successive printing operations, a small unused area will be brought into printing position as the result of each transfer sheet feed movement.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 through 4, the feed of the transfer sheets is electrically controlled. While the specific electrical control illustrated in Figs. 2-4 is fully described and claimed in the joint application of Victor William Garwood and Peter Ernest Goreham filed April 22, 1953, Serial No. 350,424, it will be described here in order that the present invention may be fully understood. As in the arrangement described in connection with Fig. 1, rolls of carbon or transfer sheets are each suitably supported on a shaft 50. The rolls of transfer material are omitted from the drawings for clarity, although the upper spindle 51 for supporting a roll is shown on each of the shafts 50. If desired, the arrangement may be such that the shafts 50 and their rolls of transfer material are disposed horizontally. Each of the shafts 50 is provided with a worm wheel 52 adapted to mesh with respective Worms 53 mounted on a shaft 54. A ratchet wheel 55 is mounted on the shaft 54 at one end thereof. The other end of the shaft 54 is suitably journalled in a bearing member 56 which may suitably be supported on the machine frame.

A solenoid 57 is provided for operating the carbon feeding mechanism to be described. The solenoid 57 is provided with leads 58 for connecting the same in an electrical circuit which will energize the solenoid 57 at the desired times. For example, the electrical circuit might be one which is completed when the line spacing means is operated. Thus a suitable switch might be provided to operate in conjunction with any of the moving members of the line spacing means shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the electrical circuit for the solenoid 57 might be controlled by the electrical circuit provided for the, solenoid 27 of Fig; l. The armature 59 of the solenoid 57 is pivotally connected at the outer end thereof to a lever 60. The lever 60 is pivotally mounted adjacent the middle'thereof by meansof a stud 61 or the like and is provided with an elongated slot 62 adjacent the end thereof remote from the armature 59. A pin 63, which is aflixed to a plate 64, projects into the slot 62. The plate 64 is pivotally mounted about a pin 65, as best shown in Fig. 3. The plate 64, which is formed generally in the shape of a bell crank lever having the pin 63 affixed to one crank arm, is provided with a second pin 66 projecting from the other crank arm. The pin 66 is adapted to be engaged by the walls of a slot 67 provided in a lever member 68 adjacent one end thereof. The member 68 is pivotally mounted adjacent the center thereof by means of a stud or screw 69, as best shown in Fig. 2. The other end of the lever 68 is pivotally connected to a pawl 70, the outer end of which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 55. The pawl 70 is spring urged into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by means of spring 71 intercoupling pawl 70 and an intermediate point on the lever 68.

In this arrangement, each time the line spacing or other selected control means is operated, an electrical circuit will be closed to energize the solenoid 57 and effect the inward movement of the armature 59. This movement will be transmitted through the lever and the plate 64 to the lever 68, whereby the pawl will rotate the ratchet wheel 55 by the desired amount. In the illustrated arrangement, rotation is equal to the distance between adjacent teeth. provided to effect greater ratchet rotation. Rotation of the ratchet wheel 55 will effect a corresponding rotation of the shaft 54 thus causing corresponding rotation of the shafts 50 and desired unwinding of suitable increments of the transfer sheets from the rolls. The circuit to the solenoid 57 will be reopened immediately after the necessary transfer sheet feed movement has been effected, thus permitting the armature 59 and the associated linkage elements to return to their rest positions.

The means for feeding the transfer sheet or sheets, as shown in Fig. l or as shown in Figs. 2 through 4, need not necessarily be controlled by the line spacing means but may, for example, be adapted to be controlled by means which effect the feed of the record sheets by either a small amount, as in line by line printing, or by relatively large amounts equivalent to a form length. The feed of the transfer sheets may also be directly or in directly controlled by the action of the imprinting unit or type bars, or parts associated therewith, or other parts of the tabulator or other machine which are actuatedmay directly engage contacts to close an electrical circuit 4 or may be adapted to effect the transmission of an electrical impulse to a solenoid or relay which controls the actuation of the carbon or transfer sheet feeding means. If desired, the arrangement maybe such that the means controlling the circuit to the solenoid 27 (Fig 1) simultaneously closes a circuit to an electrical device such as the solenoid 57 to actuate the feed of the carbon or other transfer sheets.

A suitable arrangement for feeding the record sheets is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 and comprises a unit generally indicated by the reference numeral 80. The unit is adapted to be detachably mounted on the tabulator, typewriter or other writing or recording machine. The platen roller 81 of such machine is shown in Fig. 5 and corresponds generally to the platen 10 of Fig. 1. continuous sheets or webs of stationery 82, 83 and 84, which are derived from sources not shown in the drawing, are separated and fed over rollers 85, 86 and '87, respectively, in the direction indicated by the arrows associated with the stationery sheets or webs. Two

If desired, means may be Three sheets of carbon paper or other transfer material 88 and 89 are delivered from rolls 90 and 91, respectively, mounted on shafts 92 and 93, respectively. It should be understood, of course, that any suitable number of record sheets may be employed and that in general there will be one less number of transfer sheets than of record sheets. The transfer sheets 88 and 89 are fed over rollers 94 and 95, respectively, into interleaved relationship with the record sheets 82, 83 and 84. The carbon supply shafts 92 and 93 and the rollers 85, 86, 87, 94 and 95 are mounted on a sub-unit designated generally as 80 adapted to be formed integrally with or attached to the unit 80.

It is necessary that the record sheets be moved relative,

to the transfer sheets as the various sheets are drawn past the platen roller 81. The record sheet feeding means should be constructed so that friction set up between the surfaces of adjacent record sheets passing around the platen roller 81 will not cause a binding action tending to prevent the relative movement between the record and transfer sheets. In order to prevent such binding action, the record sheet feeding means is constructed to exert a pull on the record sheets on the outfeed side of the platen 81 and a pushing action on the infeed side thereof so that very little if any pressure will exist between the record sheets and the platen 81.

As shown in Fig. 5, the unit 80 comprises a pair of side plates (of which only the plate 80A is shown in Fig. 5), each having an upwardly extending substantially vertical portion and a rearwardly extending substantially horizontal portion 101. The side plates may suitably be held in spaced parallel relationship by providing one or more transverse rods extending between the plates.

A transverse rod 102 extending between opposite sections 100 of the plates is arranged to support a pair of endless belts or tractors, of which only the tractor 103 is shown in the drawing. The tractor 103 is disposed adjacent the illustrated plate 80A, while the other tractor arranged to cooperate therewith is disposed adjacent the opposite plate. The tractors are spaced to'correspond with the width of the continuous sheets 82, 83 and 84 to be fed through the unit. A second pair of endless belts or tractors, of which only the tractor 104 is shown in the drawing, is mounted on a rod 105 extending between the spaced sections 101 of the plates. The spacing and construction of the tractor units are substantially identical, the first tractor unit being located on the outfeed side of the platen 81 while the second tractor unit is located on the infeed side of the platen 81. As will be explained more fully below, the tractor units cooperate in advancing the record sheets, so that they may be properly aligned relative to each other. The tractor unit comprising thetractor 103 and its oppositely spaced mate are provided with four rotatably mounted sprocket wheels adapted to drive endless chains which support laterally extending carriers 106 on which are mounted feed pins 107. The sprocket wheels 108 and 109 and the cooperating endless chain 110 are shown in Fig. 5. One example of a suitable tractor unit for use in the structure of the present invention is described in British Patents Nos. 468,327 and 468,284.

The feed pins 107 of the respective tractors are adapted to engage rows of marginal holes or apertures at the side edges of the superposed record sheets or webs 82,

83 and 84, as is well known in the art. The tractor unit comprising the tractor 104 and its oppositely spaced mate comprises a body portion on which are rotatably mounted four sprocket Wheels adapted to drive endless chains which support laterally extending carriers 114 on which are mounted feed pins 115. The sprocket wheels 111 and 11 2 and the cooperating endless chain 113 are shown in Fig. 5. The feed pins 115 are adapted to cooperate with the marginal apertures in the record sheets in the same manner as the feed pins 107. I

The tractor units are adapted to be driven at the same than;

V 7 speed and the arrangement is such that the tractors on the infeed side of the platen 81 exert a pushing efiect on the record sheets and the tractors on the outfeed side exert a pulling effect thereon. It should be understood, of course, that before the unit is set in operation, that portion of the record sheets extending between the tractor units will be formed with sufiicient slack so that, as they pass around the platen 81, they are loosely disposed relative to one another and form a relatively loose loop at the platen 81, so that the sheets will be drawn smoothly around the platen relatively to the transfer sheets. In this manner, the record sheets will not be drawn tightly against the platen as they are fed but will be just out of contact with the platen or only lightly in contact therewith, so that there will be little or no tendency for the record sheets to be in such tight frictional contact as would prevent the record sheets 82, 83 and 84 being pulled around the platen relatively to the transfer sheets 88 and 89.

The tractor units are adapted to be driven by gearing or other suitable mechanism mounted on the frame of the tabulator or other machine on which the unit is mounted. As illustrated in Fig. 5, a gear 120 is mounted on the same shaft as the platen 81 and is adapted to rotate therewith when the tabulator or other machine is in operation. which may be the main drive gear of the machine. The gear 121 is connected through a train of pinions 122 and 123 to a gear 124 mounted on a shaft 125 carrying the driving sprockets of the outfeed tractor unit. As is best shown in Fig. 6, the shaft 125 also carries a gear 126 loosely mounted thereon. The gear 126 is arranged to mesh with a gear 127 carried on a shaft 128. The shaft 128 also carries a chain sprocket or wheel 129. The chain sprocket 129 drives an endless chain 130 which passes around and drives another chain wheel 131 alfixed to a shaft 132. The driving sprocket 112 of the infeed tractor unit is likewise affixed to the shaft 132 and accordingly, when the machine is in operation, rotation of the gear 121 will effect the simultaneous rotation of the platen 81 and the infeed and outfeed tractor units, the mechanism intercoupling the gear 121 and the respective tractor units being arranged so that the tractor units will be driven at the same speed. The infeed tractor unit, which is mounted on the rod 105, is omitted from Fig. 6 for purposes of clarity. It will be evident that the gear 121 need not be the source of driving power for feeding the record sheets. For example, the ratchet 23 of Fig. 1 could be mounted on the shaft of the platen 81 so that operation of a line feeding mechanism as shown in Fig. 1 could operate the tractor units to provide the desired record sheet feed. Feed of the transfer sheets will, of course, be effected under control of a mechanism such as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 through 4 to provide the desired incremental transfer sheet feed.

In order to permit the formation of the necessary slack in the record sheets, means should be provided to permit adjustment of one or the other of the tractor units. As shown in Fig. 6, this means includes an adjustable coupling disc or sleeve 135 keyed or otherwise afiixed to the shaft 125 and connected to the gear 126 by screws 136 acting through elongated slots 137 provided in the disc 135. The screws 136 are adapted to enter threaded holes provided in the gear 126 and to hold the latter rigidly in place relative to the disc 135. Since the gear 126 is freely mounted on the shaft 125, its position on the shaft may be varied by relative rotation of the disc 135 and the gear 126 through the angular distance permitted by the length of the slots 137. When the gear 126 is in the desired angular position on the shaft 125 it may be locked in place by tightening up the screws 136.

It should be understood that the tabulating or other machine will normally be intermittently operated to re- The gear 120 meshes with a gear 121 tate the platen 81 and drive the tractor to feed the record sheets the equivalent'of aform length, the

will be brought into printing position.

feed then being halted while the record sheets are imprinted. The transfer sheets 88 and 89 are independently fed asmall amount each time the record sheets are fed as described above. This may be effected by actuating the transfer sheetfeed mechanism each time a record sheet feed operation is undertaken. For example, the solenoid 57 may be energized each time the gear 121 commences rotating. It will be evident that the amount the transfer sheets are fed each time will be independent of the amount by which the record sheets are advanced. Since it is thus possible to feed the transfer sheets in very small increments while the record sheets are being fed, substantial economy in the amount of transfer material used is achieved.

The invention'is not limited to the provision of separate pin Wheels, or tractors on the infeed and outfeed side of the platen, as if desired a single feed member may be provided adapted to engage portions of the web on the infeed and outfeed ,side. For example a pin feed Wheel of larger diameter than the platen may be provided and the webs guided in such a manner that portions on the infeed side engage pins on one part of the pin wheel and portions on the outfeed engage pins on another part of the Wheel. In this arrangement the pin feed wheel would preferably be adjustable relative to the platen to enable the size of the loop to be adjusted.

The plane in which the sheets are fed toward the platen 81 should be disposed at such an angle relative to the plane at which they are fed away from the platen as to insure maintenance of the sheets in a slack or loosely looped condition as they pass around the platen. It is essential that the angle between these planes should not be appreciably less than 20.

The web feeding means may include pin wheels mounted on the centre line of the platen so that the pins follow a path concentric to the rotational axis of the platen, further pin wheels being provided which are mounted to feed the webs towards the first mentioned pin wheels, to ensure that the webs are fed round the platen in a loose loop.

If desired, the mechanism provided for feeding the transfer sheets may be formed as a unit adapted to be detachably mounted on the tabulator or other machine to enable the same to be removed when it is desired to use the machine for other purposes.

Although the invention is particularly applicable to tabulating machines, it is not limited to this particular form of machine but maybe used with any other type of writing or recording machine using continuous record sheets with interleaved transfer material and particularly those types of machines wherein the record sheets are adapted to be fed in varying amounts, e. g., short distances line by line during'printing and longer distances during successive printing operation, as when going from one form length to the next.

It should be understood that in all cases the feeding of the transfer sheets will be such that, irrespective of the varying feed movements of the record sheets and the number of lines of printing on each form length of the record sheets, the transfer sheets will only be moved to such an extent that successive portions of the sheets Accordingly, the whole area of the transfer sheets will be progressively used and there will be no substantial areas of unused carbon surface such as would occur if the transfer sheets were moved each time and to the same extent as the record sheets. To effect further economy in the use of the transfer sheets, the feeding means for the transfer sheets may be arranged to operate once for two or more record sheet feeding operations.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof and in specific uses, various modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for feeding continuous stationery assemblies consisting of superposed record sheets and transfer material interleaved therebetween through a machine having a platen and means for imprinting information on the record sheets as the same are passed around the platen, comprising feed means spaced from and on substantially opposite sides of said platen and engaging spaced portions of said record sheets with said portions spaced from and on opposite sides of said platen simultaneously to impart a positive feeding movement to the record sheets on the infeed and on the outfeed sides of the platen while maintaining the record sheets in a slack loop partially about said platen whereby the pressure between the record sheets and the platen is sufficiently small to permit relative feeding motion between the record sheets and the interleaved transfer material, means for feeding said transfer material in relatively small increments relative to the feed of said record sheets, the amount of transfer material feed provided by said latter means being independent of the amount of feed of said record sheets, and control means responsive to a selected periodic operation of said machine to actuate said latter feeding means thereby periodically to feed said transfer material in said relatively small increments.

2. Apparatus for feeding continuous stationery assemblies consisting of superposed record sheets and transfer sheets interleaved therebetween through a machine having a platen and means for imprinting information on the record sheets as the same are passed around the platen, comprising first means spaced from said platen and to en age said record sheets on the infeed side of said platen to impart a positive feeding movement to the record sheets in the direction of the platen, second means spaced from said platen and to engage said record sheets on the outfeed side of the platen to impart a positive feeding movement to the record sheets in a direction away from the platen said first and second means defining with said platen straightline infeed and outfeed paths, the operation of said first and second feeding means being correlated to insure that the pressure between the record sheets and the platen is sufiiciently small to main tain said record sheets in a slack loop partially about the platen to permit relative feeding motion between the record sheets and the interleaved transfer sheets,'means for feeding said transfer sheets in increments independent of the amount of transfer sheet feed and relatively small relative to the feed of said record sheets, and control means responsive to a selected periodic operation of said machine to actuate said latter feeding means thereby periodically to feed said transfer sheets in said relatively small increments.

3. Apparatus for feeding continuous stationery assemblies consisting of superposed record sheets and transfer sheet-s interleaved therebetween through a machine having a platen roller and means for imprinting information on the record sheets as the same are passed around the platen, comprising first and second pin feeding means spaced from and on opposite sides of said platen forming the infeed and outfeed sides thereof and defining therewith substantially straightline infeed and outfeed paths, said first and second pin feeding means each engaging an extended substantially linear portion of said record sheets spaced from and on the infeed and outfeed sides of said platen and adapted to impart a positive feeding movement to the record sheets on the infeed and on the outfeed sides of the platen, respectively, the operation of said first and second feeding means being correlated so that said superposed record sheets are maintained in slack relationship as the same are passed around the platen thereby to permit relative feeding motion between the record sheets and the interleaved transfer sheets, means for feeding said transfer sheets in relatively small increments relative to the feed of said record sheets, the amount of transfer sheet feed provided by said latter 10 means being independent of the amount of feed of said record sheets, and control means responsive to a selected periodic operation of said machine to actuate said latter feeding means thereby periodically to feed said transfer sheets in said relatively small increments.

4. Apparatus for feeding continuous stationery assemblies consisting 0r, superposed record sheets and transfer sheets interleaved therebetwe'en through a machine having a platen and means for imprinting information on the record sheets as the same are passed around the platen, comprising feed means spaced from and on substantially opposite sides of said platen and engaging spaced portions of said record sheets with said portions spaced from and on opposite sides of said platen. simultaneously to impart a positive feeding movement to the record sheets on the infeed and on the outfeed sides of the platen while maintaining the record sheets in a slack loop partially about said platen whereby the pressure between the record sheets and the platen is sufficiently small to permit relative feeding motion between the record sheets and the interleaved transfer sheets, means for feeding said transfer sheets in relatively small increments relative to the feed of said record sheets, the amount of transfer sheet feed provided by said latter means being independent of the amount of feed of said record sheets, and control means automatically operative upon completion of a line of imprinting on said record sheets to actuate said latter feeding means thereby periodically to feed said transfer sheets in said relatively small increments.

5. Apparatus for feeding continuous stationery assemblies consisting of superposed record sheets and transfer sheets interleaved therebetween through a machine having a platen, means for imprinting information on the record sheets as the same are passed around the platen and line spacing means for advancing said platen upon completion of a line of printing on said record sheets, comprising a first feedmeans spaced from and in ad vance of said platen for engaging only said record sheets on one side of said platen and defining with said platen a substantially straightline infeed path, a second feed means spaced from and on the opposite side of said platen from said first feed means for engaging only said record sheets on said opposite side of said platen and defining with said platen a substantially straightline outfeed path, said first and second feed means each engaging an extended substantially linear portion of said record sheets and imparting a positive feeding movement to the record sheets on the infeed and on the outfeed sides of the platen While maintaining said record sheets in a slack loop about said platen whereby the pressure between the record s beefs and the platen is sufficiently small to permit relative feeding motion between the record sheets and the interleaved transfer sheets, means for feeding said transfer sheets in relatively small increments relative to the feed of said record sheets, the amount of transfer sheet feed provided by said latter means being independent of the amount of feed of said record sheets, and control means responsive to operation of said line spacing means to automatically actuate said latter feeding means thereby periodically to feed said transfer sheets in said relatively small increments, said control means comprising a mechanical linkage intercoupling said line spacing means and said latter feeding means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein rotatable means is provided for supporting and dispensing said transfer sheets and wherein said mechanical linkage includes a ratchet and pawl mechanism adapted to rotate said rotatable means to unwind said transfer sheets in said relatively small increments and a link member connected to said line spacing means and adapted to actuate said pawl in response to operation of said line spacing means.

7. Apparatus for feeding continuous superposed record webs relative to other webs interleaved therebetween past the platen of a machine for imprinting thereon, compris- 11 7 ing feed means for engaging only said record webs 'on the infeed side of said platen, and feed mean'sifor engaging only said record webs on the outfeed @side, "of said platen, said feed means each defining with said platen a feed path for said webs, and said feed means maintaining said record webs slack therebetween free to move relative to said other webs over said paths and past said platen.

8. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of continuous superposed webs round the platen roller of a machine for imprinting on alternate ones thereof, comprising feed means for engaging only alternate ones of said webs on the infeed side of said platen roller and for engaging said alternate ones on the outfeed side of said platen roller for feeding said alternate ones of said webs relative to the remaining webs While maintaining all of said webs in a slack loop partially about said platen roller so that said alternate webs may be fed relative to the remaining webs and past said platen roller without binding.

9. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of continuous superposed webs past the platen roller of a machine for imprinting on alternate ones thereof, comprising a first feed means for engaging only alternate ones of said webs on the infeed side of said platen roller, and a second feed means spaced from said first means and for engaging said alternate webs on the outfeed side of said platen roller, said feed means each defining with said platen roller a substantially straightline infeed path and outfeed path, and said first and second feed means maintaining said alternate webs free to move relative to said remaining webs and past said platen roller while maintaining said webs in a slack loop partially about the platen roller.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said feed means each comprise endless arrays of feed pins for engagement in feed apertures formed in said alternate webs,

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said endless arrays of feed pins include a substantially straightline course for engagement in feed apertures'formed in.

said alternate webs.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said feed paths is disposed substantially entirely tangential to the circumference of the platen roller.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said second feed means is disposed above said platen roller and said outfeed path etxends tangentially upward from said platen roller.

14. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of continuous superposed webs past the platen roller of a machine for imprinting on alternate ones thereof, comprising a first feed means for engaging only alternate ones of said webs on the infeed side of said platen roller, and a second feed means spaced from said first means and forengaging said alternate webs on the outfeed side of said platen roller, said feed means each defining with said platen roller a substantially straightline infecd path and outfeed path with said paths forming an angle of at least 20 degrees therebetween, and said first and second feed means being adapted for maintaining said alternate webs free to move relative to said remaining webs and past said platen roller while maintaining said webs in a slack loop partially about the platen roller.

15. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of continuous superposed webs past the platen roller of a machine for imprinting on alternate ones thereof, comprising a first feed means for engaging only alternate ones of said webs on the infeed side of said platen roller, and a second feed means spaced from said first means and for engaging said alternate webs on the outfeed side of said platen roller, at least one of said feed means being adjustably mounted relative to the other of said feed means for maintaining the slackness of said Webs when they pass said platen roller, said feed means each defining with said platen roller a substantially straightline infeed path and outfeed path, and said first and second feed means maintaining said alternate webs free to move relative to said remaining webs and past said platen roller While maintaining said webs in a slack loop partially about the platen roller. 7 t

16. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of continuous superposed webs past the platen roller of a machine for imprinting on alternate ones thereof with said machine provided with a drive means, comprising a sup-port member, means for detachablysecuring said support member on said machine, a first feed means mounted on said support member and for engaging only alternate ones of said webs on the infeed side of said platen roller, and a second feed means mounted on said support member and spaced from said first feed means and for engaging said alternate webs on the outfeed side of said platen roller, said feed means each defining with said platen roller a substantially straightline infeed path and outfeed path, and said first and second feed means maintaining said alternate webs free to move relative to said remaining webs and past said platen roller while maintaining said webs in a slack loop partially about the platen roller,

, 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 comprising means for feeding said other webs in amounts independent of the amount of feed of said record webs.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 comprising means for feeding said other webs in relatively small increments relative to the feed of said record webs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,045,618 Sherman et a]. June 30, 1936 2,426,333 Antrim et'al Aug 26, 1947 2,467,135 Jensen Apr. 12, 1949 2,625,252 Riddle et al Jan. 13, 1953 

